Severus Snape's First Real Christmas
by Iris-Reid92
Summary: Hermione gives Severus a gift he never expected...What could it ever be?


**A/N: This is a story dedicated to my loyal readers and a sign that 'Broken' WILL continue. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! It has the same Hermione and Remus twin siblings plot but not connected to  
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**All characters belong to J.K Rowling.**

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><p>It was cold freezing cold, this could be named the coldest winter in the history of Hogwarts.<p>

Hermione sat in a stool in the Astronomy tower thinking of what to give her husband for Christmas. And to be honest, to say that she was clue less is an understatement. She shivered and quickly placed a powerful warmth charm on herself and continued to gaze at the land below. Snow had covered it like a blanket and if she ever had a stray thought it would be that everything looked peaceful. The trees were bare from any leaves, no animals were about and nothing but the wind's whistling was what put a small smile on her face. Hermione was happy but was easily irritable at the moment due to the first thing that was mentioned.

She didn't know what to give to her husband on Christmas.

As the thought settled again she slumped in her seat and she sighed heavily as she wracked her brain for any clue as to what she was going give to him. She could give him a very rare potion ingredient! No, he would know about it and would have it in his personal stores. An indestructible cauldron! No, he has his most favorite and will probably see the new cauldron as a replacement. Oh, Damn! What shall I give him?

"Hermione?" a quiet voice asked from behind her.

"Oh, hello Remus. What brings you here?" she asked trying to hide her lost mindedness.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said teasingly.

Hermione smirked and nodded.

"What _are_ you doing here Hermione?" he asked tenderly as he noticed the serious look on her face returned.

"I don't know what to get for Severus for Christmas," she answered quietly.

"Think of potions ingredients, or a new cauldron, or something potions wise. Oh, I think I know where your getting at. No potion related items for fear of him having it or taking the message the wrong way?" Remus asked interestedly.

Hermione dropped her head and nodded.

Remus nodded his understanding and moved to hug her. She accepted her twin's embrace and tried not to cry in exasperation as she continued to tear and break through every nook and cranny her mind had on the gift department. She wanted to give Severus something special and she had no idea what.

"Hermione are you getting sick or something?" Remus asked as he pulled back to get a better look at her.

"No, but I have been throwing up a lot in the mornings..." realization had hit and the both of them ran like bats out of hell to the Hospital Wing.

When they reached the door they took a moment to straighten themselves out and took some needed deep breaths.

"If the throwing up is what I think it is then I just found the best gift I could have ever hoped for," Hermione smiled.

Remus nodded trying to hide the grin that was growing on his face.

When they entered the Wing was empty save for some Ravenclaws from yesterday's quidditch match.

"Hello Poppy, I've been throwing up a lot lately and wanted to check if I the flu bug had caught me," Hermione said hoping she was wrong.

Poppy looked up from her place behind her desk and smiled kindly at Hermione.

"Alright then my dear go to the private ward and have a seat, I'll be with you in a moment."

Hermione nodded her thanks and did as instructed. Remus was hot on her heels.

In the ward Hermione sat on the bed stiffly and nervously hoping that it wasn't the flu and that she was indeed pregnant.

"You have nothing to worry about Mia nothing bad will happen. You'll see," Remus said taking one of her hands in his.

"I know but what if I'm wrong and it is the flu. I know that we haven't been trying but it would be a nice surprise, and I know that Severus will be absolutely thrilled to know that he will be a daddy in a few short, hormone induced, months."

Remus laughed out right knowing that she was right from experience. Tonks hadn't been any better when she was pregnant with Teddy, and Merlin knows what his sister was going to be like while pregnant. But at the same time he was thrilled, he was going to be an uncle for the first time and the happiness that came with that was enough for him to feel like he could run a marathon. Nothing will compare that to when Teddy was born but when it came to his sister it was well a good feeling to have and share. Secretly he was hoping to jump in for advise when needed and be able to see Severus struggle with a baby was a moment he wasn't keen on loosing. He remembered the first time he had to change Teddy's diaper. He still cannot believe that such a small body can produce such an awful smell! Damn, he should have heeded Tonks' warning before she left for the market that day.

"Hello earth to Remus," Hermione said loudly.

"Huh?" was his brilliant answer.

"Thinking a bit to hard there brother?" she asked teasingly.

He gave her a kind smile and nodded.

"Well don't think _too_ hard because Poppy is coming," she said giving his hand an excited squeeze.

"Lie back and lets see what the problem is," Poppy said untying the top of Hermione's dress. Remus was too worried about Hermione and the possible baby to care about her current state of undress.

After the moments filled with Poppy waving her wand over her stomach and incantation after incantation the silence was broken by a very curious Poppy.

"When was the last time you had your menstrual cycle, Mrs. Snape"

Hermione thought for a moment and nearly jumped out of bed in joy. She so in tuned with her body that when her period_ did _come she was on auto pilot.

"I don't think my period has shown its ugly face for the past month and a half," Hermione said hiding her excitement.

Poppy nodded then smiled.

"Congratulations Mrs. Snape you are with child," Poppy said as she finished the spell casting.

"Is it too early to find out the sex of the baby?" Remus asked not able to contain his own excitement.

"And how far along am I?" Hermione asked relieved that she was pregnant.

"Well, to answer the young lady first you are close to two months and should be starting to show soon after," Poppy said happily, "and no its not too early to find out. Not with magic anyway," Poppy laughed as Remus nearly jumped.

"Well, lets see what we have now shall we?" Poppy said absentmindedly.

"It seems that you are carrying twins Mrs. Snape. A boy and a girl."

Poppy finished tying Hermione's top and gave her a quick hug.

"Thank you so much Poppy and twins! Remus can you believe it?" Hermione said as Remus helped her down the bed.

"Still having problems believing it myself but that won't stop me from being happy for both you and Severus," he said offering his arm.

Hermione took it happily and they went for stroll around the empty castle.

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><p>Christmas Day<p>

Hermione woke up to find the bed cold. She laid on the bed and listened to see if Severus had gotten up to go to the bathroom. When she didn't here anything she got up put on her robe and went in search of her husband. After an hour she found him sitting on a fallen log near the Black Lake.

"Are you alright?" she asked him as she sat down next to him.

He gave her a nodded his gaze still fixed on the horizon. She knew that something was bothering him.

_'Such a proud and stubborn man,'_ Hermione thought fondly.

"Please, tell me what is bothering you," she asked taking his hand in hers.

He heaved a sigh and moved her so she was sitting on his lap he placed his head on her shoulder and she noticed that he must've been trying to chase away a demon that had made it's way back. He seemed to be fighting himself on something and was questioning whether to tell her or not.

Hermione sensing his inner battle moved to straddle his lap and took him properly into her arms. His head landed on her chest.

Severus held her close to him for dear life and felt his eyes stinging with tears that have begged to be shed since the death of Dumbledore.

"It's nothing really love. Don't worry about me so much," he said trying to ignore the tears and heavy sadness in his voice.

Hermione gave him a sad and love filled smile. She admired his courage and strong will but even she knew that letting some stress go was important to ones sanity.

"Please Severus tell me. I don't like seeing you like this, and don't ever tell me not to worry...its part of me and its one of the things I do best," she said proudly.

Severus gave her a quiet chuckle lifted his head so he was looking at her with the smallest of grins on his face and said, "I know. Its just that I don't want to be a burden or bring down any joyful people on this day of magic and world happiness," he said knowing full well that he had to confess.

Hermione looked at him expectantly.

Severus sighed again and placed his head where it was atop her chest.

Hermione wrapped her harms around he neck and ran her fingers through his silky (not greasy) hair and kissed his forehead.

"I have never had a proper Christmas. I would like to say that when Albus was alive I did but the man would push so many unnecessary buttons by pushing so many of the staff. Not just me but others who had families to go to and wanted nothing more than to put their little ones to bed stuffed to the brim with Christmas dinner and read them a story. Those professors were forced to stay until midnight looking over the students that stayed behind in the Great Hall for dinner. Those were some that would admit to hating Albus no matter how good a boss or friend he was. It was unreasonable and I often found myself wishing that I had to go to a Deatheater meeting just to escape the mandatory this and mandatory that that Albus was going to cast on the staff. I know it sounds horrible but some of us were desperate to escape the confines of the school during the holidays. I have never had anybody that cared for me, apart from Albus, the way you do. My parents have their own lives without me and my brother and sister like to pretend I do not exist, they have not sent anything, not even a christmas card with a false greeting that signifies that they _at least_ acknowledge my existence not since my first year as a student in Hogwarts. No one knew I existed other than to be bullied and no one cared what happened to me not even my own house mates. Sad I know but there it is."

Severus was sad and knew that his tears were falling but only continued burrow into Hermione's chest.

Hermione was shedding tears as well for her ill treated husband whom in her opinion deserved everything the world had to offer for his services as a spy and more.

"Am I unlovable Mia?" Severus asked in a broken voice.

Hermione looked at me incredulously.

"NO! You are not unlovable." She was sad that he would think so ill of himself.

"I must be if no one thinks of me with any kindness or love," he said in an even more broken tone of voice.

Hermione pulled his face until it was level with hers. She pressed loving but powerful kiss on his lips hoping that he would grasp that she loved him with her whole being and more.

"I love you, you stubborn over grown bat," she said with a smile.

Severus nodded and said with a shy grin, "Your stubborn over grown bat."

"And that is why its my turn to give something to _you_," she said giving him one more kiss.

"Give something to _me_? What have I ever done to deserve such a gift?" he asked incredulously.

"You have done more than your fair share and deserve anything I will and might give you," she said stubbornly.

The next thing she did surprised him. She grabbed on of his hands and placed it over her tummy under her robe. He was confused by her actions until he felt tiny ripples of magic reach is palm and finger.

Severus looked up stunned at his smiling wife.

"Your..."

She nodded her head vigorously and finished, "pregnant."

Severus' stunned look did not change and this worried Hermione. Was this a stunned look leading to a bad reaction? She wondered.

Severus dropped his hand and this was the last straw for Hermione. She began to pull away but couldn't.

"No, don't go," he said pulling her back flush against his body.

She stayed where she was but refused to look him in the eye.

"The reaction is not a bad one Hermione, its just a shock. I never thought I would be a father." Severus said as a happy and proud smile lit up his features.

Hermione was happy and relived that she had mistook his expression.

"Come lets get you inside and warm witch. I will have nothing happen to you or our child."

He said standing up with her in his arms.

"You mean babies Sev," she said wrapping her arms as much as she could around him.

"Babies? As in more than one?" he asked dumbly.

She nodded yes and said, "a boy and a girl."

Severus was happier than words could describe and knew that he was happy with the second chance he was given after the war.

With a final kiss to her lips Severus carried his wife and now mother of his children to their rooms for some much needed loving.

THE END?

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><p><strong>AN: MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! This is my gift to you.**

**RATE AND REVIEW PEOPLE and tell me your thoughts on this little one shot.**

**SEQUEL? YES? NO?**

**And remember Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!  
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